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(No Model.) v 2 SheetsSheet 1. G.- F. ADAMS. ELECTRIC ARC LAMP.

Patented Apr. 18, 1893.

W2 M e 5565 m: mags PEYERS c0, mm'auwo. WASHINGTCN, n. c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. 0. F. ADAMS. ELECTRIC ARC LAMP.

Patented Apr. 18, 1898.

Wz'fneiiel UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS, OF MORRISON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF TlVO- THIRDS TO HARVEY S. GREEN AND EDW'ARD A. SMITH, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC-ARC LAM P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 495,649, dated April 18, 1893.

Application filed December 19, 1892. Serial No. 455,588. (No model.)

To. all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMs,of Morrison,in thecountyof \Vhiteside and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feed Mechanisms for Are Lamps; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and eX act description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters IQ of reference marked thereon, which form a part 01": this specification.

My invention relates to that class of arclamp attachments, known as feeding-mechanisms, which are designed to maintain the carbon-pencils or electrodes at a constant distance apart, so as to insure the emission of a constant and maximum amount of light.

The objects of my invention are to produce a feeding-mechanism which shall be simple :0 and compact in its construction, and direct and reliable in its operation; also to provide means by which the action of a shunt spool or derived-current coil may be most easily and positively utilized to regulate the feeding of one of the carbons.

To the above purposes, my invention consists in the novel devices and combination of devices hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the annexed claims.

In order that my invention may be more fully understood, I will proceed to describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section of 3 5 the upper portion of an arc-lamp showing a feeding-mechanism embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same, taken in the plane indicated by theline 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of 40 the feeding-mechanism,taken in the plane indicated by the line 33 of Fig. 1; showing the screw-connection for lowering the carboncarrier. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section of a portion of the casing of the feedingmechanism; showing principallyand diagrammatically the arrangements for intermittently neutralizing the current. Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section of a portion of the feeding-mechanism, taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a detached inverted plan View of the pawl-carrying plate of the feedingmechanism. Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view, taken on the line 77 of Fig. 3.

The construction and operation of a feeding-mechanism embodying my invention may be generally described as follows: The carbon or electrode carrier is connected to an armature which is carried by the vertically movable core of a primary-current coil; the arrangement of these parts being such that while no current is flowing through the primary coil, the carbon-carrier is depressed permitting the upper carbon to rest in contact with the lower carbon. As soon as the current is let into the lamp, it energizes this primary-coil, causing the core of said coil to be drawn upward into the coil, raising the carbon-carrier so as to effect the necessary initial separation of the electrodes for forming the illuminating arc, a practically inappreciable current flowing meanwhile through a derivedcurrent coil. As the point of the upper carbon or electrode wastes away, the distance of separation between the carbons or electrodes tends to gradually increase, and the currentresistance correspondingly increases. The overplus current, or the current derived from this resistance, passes through the secondary or compound shunt solenoid-coil, having a vertically movable core to whichis connected a pawl-and-ratchet mechanism. The derived current energizes the solenoid-coil and causes the core thereof to be drawn upward within the coil. The instant the solenoid-core reaches the uppermost or a predetermined limit of its movement, the current is shunted by certain mechanical connections, and flowing in opposite directions through the compound solenoid-coil, is neutralized. This neutralizing of the current permits the solenoid-core 0 to drop by gravity and said core, in so dropping, positively actuates a pawl-and-ratchet mechanism, so as to cause the latter to partly rotate a screw-rod. The partial or continued rotation of the screw-rod depresses the car- 5 bon-carrier and consequently brings the upper carbon or electrode downward toward the lower one sufficiently to compensate .for the wear of the upper carbon. The current now passes, as before, through the primary coil and the lamp continues to burn brightly. As the upper carbon continues to wear the neu- IOO tralizing action of the solenoid-coil intermittently repeats itself and the pawl-and-ratchet mechanism intermittently operates to feed the upper carbon downward; thus preserving the necessary separation of the electrodes.

Referring now to the drawings, A designates an inclosing casing or housing within which the feed-mechanism is placed and by which said feed mechanism is protected against the weather; said casing or housing being located at the top of the lamp-frame, and being of course, of any desired form and material. The bracket-arms B which support the lower carbon and other parts of the lamp, are secured at their upper ends, in any suitable manner, to the bottom of the casing or housing A, and the top of said casing or housing carries the usual binding-posts a to which the line-wires are connected in a customary manner.

0 designates the usual primary-current coil, this coil being secured in proper manner to the top of the casing or housing A, so as to depend vertically within the same, and it is provided with a core 0 which is vertically movable within the hollow axis of the coil and which carries at its lower end an armature or head 0 Through a suitable vertical aperture in this armature or head 0 extends loosely a movable pin D, provided at its upper end with a head d which at times engages a socket or cavity 0 formed in the upper surface of the armature or head 0 as shown in dotted lines, and which constitutes an enlargement of the upper end of the said opening through which the pin D extends. This pin D is secured at its lower end in an offset e at one end of a vertically movable horizontal bar or plate E, said bar or plate constituting the top-portion of a vertically movable frame which carries the pawl-andratchet mechanism to be presently described.

Beneath the top bar or plate E, and at some distance from the same, is located a second horizontal plate or bar E which constitutes the bottom plate or bar of the pawl andratchet carrying frame; this plate E being parallel with the plate E and being connected to the latter by any suitable number of vertical tie-pieces E as shown. The vertical movements of the frame thus constructed are directed and limited by two posts F E which are suitably secured, as by nuts f screwed upon the lower ends of the pins, or otherwise, to a metal base-plate A which rests upon the bottom of the casing or housing A, said posts extending vertically upward through the ends of the plates E, E, in such manner as to permit said plates to freely move upon the posts. The upper ends of these posts F F are provided with heads or enlargements f against which the upper side of the top plate E engages when the carrier-frame has reached the upper limit of its movement.

Upon the middle of the top-plate E rests the lower end of a vertical tubular casing G, which is preferably rectangular in cross-section; the lower end of said casing being provided with outwardly extending flanges g through which pass screws g which enter the top-plate E and thus secure the casing upon the said topplate. At one side, this casing G is formed with a longitudinal slot 9 which,

extends from near the lower end of the easing to near its upper end; said casing being shown of such length as to extend upward through the top of the housing A and also into a cap A which latter rests upon said housing top. The upper end of the casingis shown, at 9 as reduced to enter an opening in a cross-bar g which is secured horizontally in the cap A, either by screws 9 or in any other-suitable manner; this arrangement rendering the casing G perfectly rigid, and'preserving its vertical position. Within this tubular casing G is located a screw-rod H which is of such length as to extend upward through the top of the cap A; said rod preferably having at its upper end a button or knob 71 as shown, and the upper portion of said rod being reduced so as to work through the upper end of the casing G as in a bearing. The lower end of the screw-rod H is formed with a longitudinal socket h into which is tightly inserted the upper end of a bearing-piece H, which thus turns with the screw-rod, the lower end of said bearing-piece being preferably tapered, so as to work, with the minimum of friction, in a concave stepbearing socket e which is formed in thelower frame-plate E. Throughout the length of the screw-rod H extends an external screw-thread h and this screw-th read is engaged normally by an arm I the inner or lower end of which is formed with any desired number of oblique recesses into which enter certain of the convolutions of the screw-thread h; the arrangement being such that when the screw-rod H is turned axially in one direction, the arm I shall be moved downward. This arm Iis integrally united at its-upper end to a sleeve 1' (see Fig. 7) which extends transversely relative to the arm I and from which said arm projects radially, and this sleeve I also carries an integral fork I which projects radially outward from the sleeve in a direction opposite from that of the arm I; the upper end of the vertical carbon-socket J being pivotally connected, as atj, between the outer ends of the fork-arms. The sleeve I" is in turn interposed pivotally between two arms is which project outwardly, parallel with each other from a slide K, two pivot-screws k being shown as inserted transversely through the outer ends of the arms 7c and into the ends of the sleeve J so as to constitute the connection between said parts. The slide K is of approximately rectangular form so as to embrace the tubular casing G and to slide longitudinally thereon, for a purpose to be hereinafter explained.

The bearing-piece H of the screw-rod H is shown as surrounded, at its middle portion, bya ratchet-wheel L which is arranged to turn with the bearing-piece, said bearing-piece being shown as externally screw-threaded while the hub of the ratchetwheel is internally screw-threaded to engage the bearing-piece, and nut Zbeing shown as screwed upon the bearing-piece H, beneath the ratchet-wheel L, so as to properly sustain the latter. It is obvious that various other precise arrangements may be provided for so attaching this ratchetwheel to the bearing-piece as to cause said wheel to turn with the latter. At a point immediately above the ratchet-wheel L the bearing-piece H is surrounded by a pawl-carrying plate M which is arranged to turn loosely, at times, upon said bearing-piece. This plate M is shown as formed with a lateral oifset m having an opening or eye m through which passes the bearing-piece H, the body-portion of the plate thus permissibly extending eccentric to the longitudinal axis of the bearing-piece. The body-portion of this pawl-carrier is shown as of approximately sector-shape and to the under side of one end of said carrier is pivoted, as at m a pawl. M the tip of which engages one or another of the teeth of the ratchetwheel. A leaf spring m is shown as connected, as at m to an adjacent part of the under side of the pawl-carrier, and as pressing inwardly upon the pawl so as to insure the required engagement of its tip with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel. Obviously, various other forms of springs may be used for the purpose. To the opposite end of the under side of this carrier-plate M is pivotally connected, as at n, a flexible arm N which constitutes an extension or prolongation of a connecting-arm N; said arm N being either formed with or suitably secured to the arm N. This connectingarm N is pivotally attached, as at n, to the outer end of a rock-arm N which is shown as projecting radially from one end of a rockshaft N said shaft being shown as journaled in the upper ends of the vertical standards N which are secured upon a base-plate A this base-plate resting upon the base-plate A on the bottom of the casing or housing A. The purposes of this rock-shaft will presently be fully explained.

- O designates the secondary or derived current solenoid-coil, this coil being properly secured to the top of the casing or housing A, so as to depend vertically within the latter and being wound in opposite directions, as hereinafter more particularly explained, with wire which is preferably of much less diameter or gage than that which is wound upon the primary coil 0. This solenoid coil is provided with a core 0 which is adapted to rise and fall vertically within the hollow axis of the coil; the downward movement of said core being preferably limited by the engagement of the lower end of the core with a pin 0 which rises vertically from the bottom of the casing or housing A. A pin 0 is shown as extending transversely through the core O,near the lower end thereof, and as projecting at its ends beyond the sides of said core, and the projecting ends of this pin enter longitudinal slots 19 in the outer ends of the rock-arms P which are connected to the rock-shaft N so as to turn therewith. The rock-arms P extend from the rock shaft N near the ends thereof, and it will thus be seen that as the core 0 rises and falls, it will correspondingly move the arms P, and accordingly oscillate or rock the shaft N Upon the end of this rock-shaft opposite from that to which the rock-arm N is connected, is mounted a disk or wheel Q which is capable of turning independently of the shaft, and in the periphery of which is inserted, at a certain point, a short segmental insulating section q. From the periphery of this disk or wheel Q project radially outward two pins or studs g which are separated from each other by a considerable space; this space being preferably located diametrically opposite from the insulating section section q.

R designates an arm which projects outwardly from the sleeve r surrounding and turning with the shaft N the outer end of said arm being bent laterallyso as to extend across the periphery of the disk or wheel Q and between the two studs or pins q thereof.

From the bottom of the casing or housing A extend upward two contact-springs S and S which are preferably attached, as at s and s respectively, to an insulating-blockS which rests upon the base-plate A. The upper end of the spring S presses against the upper end of the spring S and also presses said end of the spring S against the periphery of the disk or wheel Q. The secondary or derived current coil 0 is connected with the spring S by a wire T which is attached to the binding-screw s, and said secondary or derived current coil is also connected by a wire T to a binding-screw t upon the base of one of the standards N above described.

The two wires which compose the secondary or derived solenoid-coil O are laid oppositely, either by winding, as in Figs. 1 and 2, or by alternate arrangement, as in Fig. l and the lower end of the second wire is connected, as at t to the wire T while the first wire is connected, as at t, to the main line; the wire T above mentioned leading from the first wire of the coil. The main current coil or solenoid O is connected by a wire to with the positive binding post a of the lamp and by a second wire as with the base-plate A, through which the main current flows. The socket J of the upper carbon or electrode being in direct contact with this base-plate, no special devices are necesssary to convey the main current from the base-plate A to the socket J and thence through the upper carbon or electrode. After passing through the upper and lower carbons, the main current returns upon an insulated wire .20 which is connected to the frame-work of the lamp and also to the negative binding-post Cl, thereof.

It is to be understood that when no current is turned into the lamp, the carbon socket or carrierJ occupies such position as to cause the lower end of the upper carbon or electrode to come into contact with the upper end of the lower carbon or electrode. As soon as the current is turned into the lamp, the primary coil is energized and its core 0 is raised so as to bring the armature or head C of the core into engagement with the-head d of the pin D. This action lifts the pawl-and-ratchet frame upward and consequently lifts the tubular casing G and screw-rod H and also the upper carbon socket J upward correspondingly; thus separating the upper carbon or electrode from the lower carbon or electrode sufficiently to form the effective illuminating arc, the flexible extension N permitting this movement without being disconnected from the pawl M. A slight and practically inappreciable current flows always through the derived current coil, as the lamp continues to burn, and as the lamp burns the lower end of the upper carbon gradually wears away, in the usual manner, and the resistance to the passage of the current through the are gradually increases. This causes a gradually increasing portion of the current to enter the secondary or derived current solenoid, energizing the same and drawing the core 0 thereof upward.

In Fig. 4, the parts are shown as in their normal positions, as when the lamp is burning properly; the core 0' of the derived current solenoid or shunt-spool 0 being at the lower limit of its movement and the current being free to pass both from the binding-post t and through the branch t and from the binding-post s to the branch i. As the circuit from s to t is the shorter, the bulk of the current passes that way and the current from t to t is almost inappreciable, since it has to pass from t to 25' as well as from t to 25 When the wasting away of the upper carbon or electrode has so increased the are that the flow of current in the'derived current solenoid or shunt-spool O is sufiicient to raise the core 0', then the oscillating arm Ris moved downward into contact with the lower stud q and the wheel or disk Q is moved until the insulating block q comes into contact with the spring S. This prevents the current from passing over the shorterline st, and all current has to passover the line tt'm'a t As thecurrent from t to t flows in the opposite direction from the current from t to 25', each half of the current neutralizes the magnetic effect of the other, and consequently the core 0' falls, turning the rock-shaft N so as to cause the pawl carrier M to be drawn around, and moving the insulating segment q out of engagement with the spring S. This movement of the pawlcarrier'M causes the pawl to rotate the ratchet-wheel L, and consequently the screw-rod H in such direction as to depress the carbon-v socket or carrier J sufficiently to restore the proper separation of the two carbons or electrodes.

In the actual operation of the lamp, the depression of the upper carbon carrieror socket occurs frequently and to a slight extent each time, so that virtually a constant separation of the two carbons or electrodes is maintained and a uniform brilliancy of the luminous arc is preserved. Then the upper carbon or electrode has been burned away, an attendant simply push es upward upon the socket or carrier J so as to throw the lower end of the arm I out of engagement with the screw-rod H, and then raises the socket or carrier upward; drawing out the butt of the burned out carbon and substituting afresh carbon. Before leaving the lamp, the attendant should grasp the button It and turn the screw-rod H quickly in opposite directions, a few times, so as to insure the proper engagement of the recessed end of the arm I with the adjacent convolutions of the screw-thread h.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A feed-mechanism for arc-lamps, comprising a primary current coil having a movable core, a secondary or derived current coil having oppositely directed wires and having also a movable core, and a movable frame actuated by the core of the primary-currentcoil, a rocking-shaft actuated by the core of the secondary-current coil, a disk or wheel carried by and independently revoluble upon said shaft and having an insulatingsection, a screw-rod carried by the movable frame, an electrode-carrier having an arm for engaging said screw-rod, and a pawl-and-ratchet mechanism operatively connected to the screw-rod and also to the rocking-shaft, substantially as set forth.

2. A feed-mechanism for arc-lamps, comprising a primary-current coil having a movable core, a secondary or derived current coil having oppositely directed wires and having also a movable core, a movable frame actuated by mechanical contact with the core of the primary-current coil and having a screwrod carried by said frame, a rocking-shaft actuated by mechanicalconnection with the core of the secondary-current coil, a disk or wheel having an insulating-section and independently revoluble upon said shaft, and an electrode-carrier having a recessed arm for engaging the screw-rod, and a pawl-and-ratchet mechanism operatively connected to the screw-rod and also to the rocking-shaft, substantially as set forth.

3. A feed-mechanism for arc-lamps, comprisingavertical primary-current coil having a vertically movable core, a vertical secondary or derived current coil having oppositely directed wires and having also a vertically movable core, a vertically movable frame actuated by the core of the primary-current coil, a rocking-shaft actuated by the core of the secondary-current coil, a disk or wheel having an insulating-section and independently revoluble upon the shaft, a vertically movable screw-rod carried by the movable frame, an electrode-carrier having an arm for engaging the screw-rod, and a pawl-and-ratchet mechanism operatively connected to the screw-rod and also to the rocking shaft, substantially as set forth.

4. A feed-mechanism for arc-lamps, comprising a primary-current coil having a movable core, a secondary or derived current coil having oppositely directed wires and having also a movable core, a movable frame actuated by the core of the primary-current coil and carrying avertically movable and axially revoluble screw-rod, a rocking-shaft actuated by the secondary-current coil and carrying a wheel or disk independently revoluble upon the shaft and having a peripheral insulating section, contact-spring placed in engagement with the periphery of said wheel or disk, a pawl-and-ratchet mechanism operatively connected to the screw-rod and to the rockingshaft, and an electrode-carrier having an arm for engaging the screw-rod, substantially as set forth.

5. A feed-mechanism for arc-lamps, comprising a primary-current coil having a movable core, a secondary or derived current coil having oppositely directed wires and having also a movable core, a movable frame actuated by the core of the primary-current coil and carryingavertically movable and axially revoluble screw-rod and also a longitudinally slotted inclosing casing for said rod, a rocking-shaft actuated by the secondary-current coil and carrying a disk having a peripheral insulating-section and independently revoluble upon the shaft, contact springs engaging the periphery of the disk, a pawl-and-ratchet mechanism operatively connected to the screw-rod and also to the rocking-shaft, and an electrode-carrier having an extension embracing the screw-rod casing and having also a pivoted arm working through the slot in said casing and engaging the thread of the screw-rod, substantially as set forth.

6. A feed-mechanism for arc-lamps, comprising a primary-current coil having a movable eore provided with a head or enlargement, a secondary or derived-current coil having also a movable core, and provided with oppositely directed wires, a movable frame having a pin working through the head or enlargement of the core of the primary-current coil and engaging said head to move the frame, a screw-rod carried by said frame, an electrodecarrier having an arm engaging the thread of the screw-rod, a rock-shaft carrying an independently revoluble disk having a peripheral insulating section and also having peripheral studs, an arm interposed between the studs and movable with said rock-shaft, a ratchetwheel carried by said screw-rod, a pawl carried by said frame and engaging the ratchetwheel, and a flexible arm connected both to the rock-shaft and to said pawl,substantially as set forth.

7. A feed-mechanism for arc-lamps, comprising a primary-current coil having a movable core, a secondary or derived current coil having oppositely directed wires and provided also with a movable core, a movable frame actuated by mechanical contact with the core of the primary-current coil and carrying a screw-rod for actuating an electrodesocket, a pawl also carried by the said frame and engaging a ratchet-wheel, a rocking-shaft carrying rock-arms mechanically connected to the primary coil core, a rock-arm also carried by the shaft and having a flexible connection with said pawl, a disk, independently revoluble on the rocking shaft, and having peripheral pins and a peripheral insulatingsection, and a rigid radial arm, carried by said rocking shaft,having its outer end interposed between said peripheral pins, substantially as set forth.

8. A feed-mechanism for arc-lamps, comprising a primary-current coil having a movable core and a secondary or derived coil having oppositely directed wires and having also a movable core, a movable frame working upon guiding-pins at the bottom of a housing or casing and having also an engaging pin passing through a head of the primary-current core, a screw-rod carried by the frame and provided with a ratchet wheel, a springpressed pawl carried by the frame, a rockingshaft placed in mechanical connection with the core of the secondary current coil, and flexibly connected to the pawl, a disk independently revoluble upon the shaft and provided with peripheral pins and also with a peripheral insulating section, and a radial arm carried by the shaft and interposed between the pins of the disk, substantially as set forth.

9. Afeeding mechanism for are lamps, comprising a derived current coil having a vertically movable core which is raised by the magnetic attraction of the coil, and which drops in consequence of the cessation of magnetic attraction thereof, and a feeding mechanism connected to and positively actuated by the dropping of said core,substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES FRANCIS ADAMS.

Witnesses:

I. B. DONALDSON, G. H. KENTFIELD. 

